The Only Constant In Life Is Change
by ForeverBrunette
Summary: Amelie sends Claire on another mission for about two weeks on the day of her birthday. How different is she when she returns? How much can change in two weeks? How will her friends react? More importantly, how does Shane react? Adopted from BloodRedStory. UP FOR ADOPTION!
1. Waiting

**Okay, so I adopted this story from BloodRedStory. I'm very grateful I was allowed to adopt this story. I'm going to change it…a lot. So I hope you enjoy it. These next three chapters are the exact chapters from BloodRedStory's original story so bear with me. I'm going to start the actual changing in the fourth chapter. I must warn everyone that I thank ALL my reviewers in my updates. So if you don't want to be mentioned, please tell me in your review. I hope you enjoy my changes to this story. Especially you, BloodRedStory!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Morganville Vampires series. Though it is an amazing series! **

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**Claire was sitting on the couch of the Glass house, waiting for her roommates to come home. It was her birthday tomorrow, and she was turning 18. 18! 'How could that possibly be?' She thought. To her it was just yesterday that she turned 17. Not that she was complaining, she was excited, terribly excited to become an adult, and not have her parents hovering over her all the time. 'Ahhh…. A life without parents watching your every move, that will be paradise!' She thought to herself dreamily**.**

But while she was daydreaming she hadn't heard the front door open, so when she felt a light touch on her face it scared her to death. But it was just Shane, staring into her eyes intently, probably trying to see what she was thinking.

"What?" Claire asked. And Shane in return just smiled and kissed her forehead, then walked into the kitchen. He could be so mysterious sometimes….. and honestly, it bothered her.

She heard the kitchen door open, and Eve walked in being followed by Shane and Michael. "So, what are the plans for tonight?" Shane asked Claire. "Nothing." She replied happily, and looked at the evil grin on his face. "Good, because I have something planned up stairs." He said as he tried to pick her up. "No, stop Shane." He looked at her confused, she had never turned down one of his offers. And she didn't blame herself either, he was the hottest guy she had ever met, and when girls got an offer from him they didn't refuse unless they were mental.

"Calm down, I just want to save it for tomorrow night…. Cause you know, it's my birthday tomorrow."She said in a calming voice, soothing Shane out of his uneasiness. "Good, because if you were refusing I would have thought you were sick or something." He laughed. She laughed with him quietly. He grinned evilly after he was done laughing, and kissed her on the lips in the most romantic way she could have imagined.

"Let's hope I can wait that long." He said, with longing in his voice. 'Mmmmm…. Let's hope. NOT!'


	2. Eve & Michael

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**Disclaimer: I do not own the Morganville Vampires.**

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Claire went to bed early not wanting to give in to Shane; he was putting up a really good fight. 'Ugh, why did Shane have to be so perfect? Sometimes it is a good thing, and sometimes a bad thing.' She thought. She was starting to drift off to sleep when she heard a soft nock on the door, and Eve's voice asking quietly if she was still awake.

"I am still awake Eve, what do you want?" She didn't mean for it to sound rude, but it came out that way and Eve noticed it. "I can go away if you want me to Claire bear I just want to talk to you for a second." "You can come in Eve," Claire said, "sorry I didn't mean to sound grumpy, I am just tired. But it is fine!" She said quickly, not wanting Eve to argue. Eve walked in still in all her Goth glory.

"Sorry Claire bear I don't mean to keep you awake…. I just needed someone to talk to that won't make fun of everything I say."

"I get it Eve, sometimes I need to be away from the guys too….. But I am pretty sure that Michael wouldn't make fun of you or whatever you're saying." Claire said trying to be persuasive… but it didn't work. 'Crap, all I want to do is go to bed!' Claire thought to herself.

"Well he wouldn't, but I don't want to talk to him about this specific subject…."

"What's the subject?" Claire asked starting to wonder what this was all about.

"Well….. Ummm…"

"Spit it out Eve!" Claire said urgently.

"I think that Michael is going to leave me! And I really don't want him to, so what do I do?" Eve spit out through her teeth as fast as she could so it was hard to understand.

"He is not going to leave you Eve, and if he does, I will kick his butt. And I am not kidding about that Eve. If I have to, I will stake him and take it out, and then I will wrap him in silver chains, and shove garlic in every little hold I can find on his body!" Claire said, knowing that she meant it, but she was scared. What if Michael did leave Eve? No… that can't happen, and it won't she argued with herself.

"Okay, good night Claire bear…. And I hope that he does not decide to break up with me, for his sake, not mine." Eve said jokingly, and started laughing as she walked out of Claire's room. But she froze all of a sudden, eyes wide. Then Claire heard Michaels voice from the hall. "You really think I am going to leave you? Why? I love you Eve and I would never. I promise!"


	3. Worst Birthday Gift Ever, Amelie!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Morganville Vampires.**

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When Claire woke up, she found that Shane had snuck into her room in the night, because he was lying beside her. He had removed his shirt before going to bed, because she could see his muscles moving as he breathed. All she wanted to do was touch his back, and feel the warmth but she did not want to wake him. So she lay back down and tried to go to sleep, but how could she? Shane was lying in the same bed, and they were not even holding hands. 'So wrong, we should be touching.' She pouted until she felt him dragging his fingers across her face lazily. She opened her eyes and he kissed her more passionately than he had ever before. She found herself wanting more, but she willed herself to wait till the night.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shane asked as she started to get out of the bed to get in her day clothes.

"I am getting dressed. You have a problem with that?" She asked. As he grabbed her waist, and pulled her back to him. 'Mmmmm…. This is what I want, and I want it now, but I must save it for tonight.'

"No, no problem with that, just wondering," he chuckled softly and then nipped her ear, it felt so good she leaned in closer and closed her eyes. He chuckled again, but this time evilly. She glared at him then got up. Pulled her shirt off and put on a light blue button up blouse. Then pulled down her baggy pants and then pulled on some jean short shorts. This whole time Shane watching her as she changed.

"Stop that!" Claire said, wanting him to stop looking at her like that.

"Stop what?" Shane asked his eyes glazed over with need.

"Stop watching me like that, it makes me uncomfortable." 'More like I won't be able to stop myself from making out with you if you don't quit watching me.' She thought to herself, and rolled her eyes when she turned around to walk out the door.

"Oh, Happy Birthday Claire!" Shane shot her as she walked out the door.

"Thanks!" She mumbled back.

When she got down stairs Michael was already up and playing his guitar lightly. Then she spotted Shane's sister sitting on the floor listening to him play as she wrote something. Alyssa had been at her friend's house over night. She was the same age as Claire, but Claire was in College, and Alyssa was not, pretty much the only difference between them. Besides the fact that Claire was dating Shane, and Shane and Alyssa were brother and sister.

"Hey Claire," Alyssa said as Claire walked forward to see what she was doing. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks, did you have fun at Delia's house?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, we watched Saw 3; it was freaky, and gross! And we jumped when anything popped out at us or something." She said. "Oh and when her brother came he noticed what we were watching from outside so he put on his ski mask and walked in slowly to scare us! We screamed our heads off! I am surprised the neighbors didn't call the cops!"

"Sounds like fun." Claire said.

"It was! Well anyway, how was your night? I suppose that Shane and you….. You know since your birthday….?"

"No! I didn't let him, he wanted to, but I told him to wait for tonight. But do I wish it was last night." Claire said embarrassed to say it in front of Michael, and she had a right to be embarrassed because he chuckled and looked at her weird.

"Oh Claire you have a letter from Amelie, it is on the counter in the kitchen." Michael said with that same weird expression on his face.

"Okay, ummm….. Why are you looking at me like that?" Claire asked him wanting to know why he was staring at her.

"I don't know," he said, looking away as he did. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

"It is fine I guess." Claire said trying to be polite about it.

When Claire got to the kitchen she wanted to know what the letter was about, because Amelie never sent her letters unless it was important, and she didn't want to talk about it on the phone. When Claire picked up the letter lying on the counter, she unfolded it and read it.

_Hello my dear Claire, you will be leaving town to assist Oliver in taking care of some business out of town. There seems to be another town besides Blacke with vampires in it. We need you and Oliver to see if the town is under control, and if it isn't my dear then you must contact me as soon as you find out. Then I will either exterminate the town or put a leader in it. It depends on how good or bad it is. I am counting on you and Oliver. Do not let me down._

Amelie

As she read it, she froze, in sudden shock. She was going out of town again, but this time with a mission to go to another dangerous vampire town that could be out of control. She was supposed to risk her life for Amelie. She didn't want to, but she had to. Her gut said that she had to. She hoped her gut was write.


	4. I'll Be Fine I Swear

**Okay. So this is how I'm changing it. I hope you all enjoy it. You will find out exactly how she is changed in about Chapter Six maybe Seven. So please read and have fun!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Morganville Vampires.**

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"So what's it say?" Alyssa asked, peeking her head over Claire's shoulder. Claire immediately hid the letter against her chest.

"It just gave me some new thing to do. Nothing major. Hey! Why don't you go wake your brother up?" Claire said a little too enthusiastically. Alyssa looked at her worriedly but shrugged and skipped out of the kitchen.

She sighed once she was alone in the room and re-read the letter. She was breathing heavily and had to get a drink of water with shaky hands. As she chugged the water to soothe her dry throat, she wondered why this had to be so sudden.

"Claire?" Shane called as he walked through the kitchen. Her eyes widened, even as she drank. She left the letter on the counter…in plain sight! She heard him pick it up and gasp silently. "Claire?" he asked shakily. "What is this?"

She put the glass down and stared at the drain in silence. She finally mumbled something too low for him to hear.

"What was that, Claire?"

"I said that Amelie wants me to go to this city and check it out…with Oliver. I have to. If I don't go, punishment will fall upon this house. And I must succeed. I have to go, Shane. So don't try and stop me," she said clearer and ran out the door and up the stairs to her room.

She locked her door and started throwing everything she'd need into her duffel bag and walked out to the bathroom where she just dumped all her stuff in it. Shane saw her and blocked her exit.

"Claire, you're not going anywhere with that old Vampire," he warned.

"You don't order me around," she screamed at him and pushed through him.

"Claire, I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm not going to," she said softly.

"Claire, please don't go. I don't trust the Vamps. Just tell her you can't go, please." He was begging now and she was about ready to cave.

"Shane I can't. If I do, you might be killed…or worse. Don't make me do this," Claire said quietly, tears shining in her eyes.

"It's only about two weeks. Everything will be fine."

"Yeah. I guess you're right," Shane finally said.

Claire nodded and kissed his cheek. With a smile, she said, "Yes. Yes I am. And always will be. Nothing bad will happen to me. I swear it."

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**I really do hope you guys like where the story is going so far. Especially you, BloodRedStory. So please tell me what you think. Keep in mind: ALL reviewers will be thanked. Love you all! 3**


	5. GoodBye & Surprises!

**Hey guys! I'm soooo sorry that you guys had to wait so long for an update. Things have been pretty hectic lately. But I won't go into detail because…well…it's my business. Simple as that. I really hope that ya'll enjoy the update. I would like to thank, while I'm at it Lucee, vicky199416, and MCR lone wolf for your reviews. Hope you enjoy.**

Packed and ready to go, Claire stood in her living room with her housemates standing around uncertainly. Eve looked nervous, Michael looked peeved, Shane looked depressed, and Alyssa looked hopeful. Claire sighed.

"Why does everyone look upset in one way or another?" Claire asked, exasperated.

"Because you're actually leaving!" Eve suddenly sobbed and threw her arms around poor little Claire who almost fell backward on impact.

As Eve cried into Claires shoulder, Shanes eyes started to water and Michael and Alyssa tried to edge toward her to grab Eve from her.

"Eve, come on. You have to give Shane and Claire some time to say good-bye alone. Please," Michael said sadly. "Oliver is already on his way. We can't rob her of her boyfriend for too long."

Eve nodded, kissed Claires cheek and followed her boyfriend and Alyssa into the kitchen. Shane stepped up to Claire.

"Claire…do you have to go?" Shane begged.

"Yes Shane. I am not going to get hurt. Oliver says that he will protect me and keep me safe. I swear to you and he swears to you that no harm will come to me. So take a deep breath and calm down. Okay?" As she spoke, she held onto his hands and looked into his eyes.

"You've said that but how can you be sure? Oliver's not really the most reliable Vampire in Morganville. Not only that, but you will be far, far away from me where I can't protect you alone with a Vampire!" He started getting worked up, but with a raised eyebrow from his girlfriend, he took a breath and looked into her eyes with genuine concern. "I just don't want to be here for forever, worrying about you, convincing myself you're coming back, only to hear that you're coming back without a pulse."

"I'm coming back. And when I do, I promise that you can check my pulse as many times as you need to." She smiled slightly at him.

A knock on the door sounded around them, interrupting their heart-to-heart. Claire rolled her eyes and kissed Shane as if that were the last time she would ever see him again. The knocks grew louder and harder against the wood of their front door. She finally pulled away.

"Jeez, I forgot how impatient Oliver can be," she joked and kissed his cheek before opening the front door to reveal a very annoyed Oliver in his anti-sun garb. "Oh hi Oliver!" she said as if she hadn't expected him. "What an unpleasant surprise! Do you want to borrow some sugar? How about a nice, light-hearted conversation about the weather?" She smiled sweetly at him.

"Why won't you shut your mouth you insufferable girl?" he snapped. "Let me in. This protection won't protect me for long. I can feel the back of my neck burning."

She looked behind him and saw the sun directly behind his head. She stifled a giggle by putting a hand over her mouth. "Why don't you come on in, Oliver?" She moved over and he immediately ran in, slammed the door, and locked it.

"Whoa, Oliver," Shane warned. "No need to be so harsh with the wood." He smiled.

"I'm sorry that your little girlfriend almost let me fry out there," Oliver spat as he took off his coat, gloves, and hat.

"Claire," Shane chastised and turned his attention to her. He went over to her and gripped her shoulders. "What did we tell you about not allowing cruel and vindictive Vampires into our spacious home of warm-blooded humans?"

"To always let them in," she whimpered. She gave him a light smile.

"Now I'm going to have to teach you a lesson." He threw her over his shoulder and ran to the living room where he threw her onto the sofa. She giggled and squealed as he tickled her sides relentlessly while Oliver watched on in both amusement and disgust.

"Are you two done with your shenanigans? We must get going soon, Claire," Oliver almost yawned.

They both looked over at him. Claire blushed and got up while Shane simply looked satisfied with himself.

"Sorry Oliver. Eve! Michael! Alyssa! I'm leaving!" she called back to the kitchen.

She was immediately ambushed by hugs and tears and good-byes. She held back the tears, promised to return, and pried them all off of her with Michaels help. She grabbed her bags and followed Oliver out the door with one last glance back. She walked out the door. She stepped into the black limo outside her home. The car sped off.

^ ^ ^ Meanwhile… ^ ^ ^

"Are you sure, Amelie?" Myrnin asked uncertainly into the phone.

"Positive. This was your idea after all Myrnin. I hope you enjoy yourself. And try not to hurt anyone. Okay? Be careful. She is under _my_ protection, you know. And, like my father, I can be ruthless and merciless if my property is tampered with." Amelie's voice started to turn deadly as she spoke.

"Yes ma'am. I remember. Oh, I must end this conversation. Oliver is knocking down my door. He's here to pick me up. Good bye, my lady. I shall see you soon!" And with that, he hung up the phone with a sigh and stepped out into that narrow alley, following Oliver to his limo.

"Claire, Myrnin has been ordered to join us as well. I hope you don't mind," Oliver said.

"No. I don't mind at all. Hey Myrnin," she said with a cheery smile in her boss's direction.

"Good," Oliver said. "Whether you minded or not really didn't matter at all to me." He sat back in his seat with a huff.

"Jeez. Just go to sleep. Myrnin and I will chat without you," Claire said haughtily. "Right, Myrnin?"

"Of course, my dear," he said happily. "It is always nice to have an intelligent conversation with an actual intellect." His voice got louder to make a point at Oliver. Oliver grumbled something and went quiet. He turned back to Claire. "I do so enjoy our discussions, young Claire."

And so the entire ride was full of them discussing, debating, and having fun. Oliver even joined in once in a while. When the car stopped, Oliver almost ran out. Claire giggled with the mental image of him kissing the ground and praising the Lord. Myrnin caught on to her thoughts and laughed with her before following Oliver out to a tiny motel where they had only two not-destroyed rooms. It vaguely reminded Claire of that town over-run by infected Vampires called Blacke or something along those lines.

She shook her head at the memory and followed the guys into the motel. They all met up in one of the good rooms.

"I want my own room. This shall be my room. Neither are you are allowed in here. Now good night. You two can share the other room. Enjoy!" Oliver announced and kicked them out of the room. They shared a look, rolled their eyes and walked next door to the other room.

To Claires horror, there was only one double bed. She blushed. She would have to share a bed with her Vampire boss who wears bunny slippers! Because she wasn't sleeping on the floor and they both knew that he would throw a fit about sleeping on a hard surface. Although, he's a Vampire! Why does he need sleep? He has all the time in the world to sleep! She doesn't. She's gonna die pretty soon compared to the time that Myrnin and Oliver have.

"Well, I call right side!" Myrnin suddenly said and flopped onto the right side of the bed.

Claire rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if I wake up and you are hogging the blankets or snoring, I'm rolling you off the bed."

Myrnin snorted and closed his eyes immediately. Claire settled into bed, rolled onto her side away from Myrnin, and finally went to sleep. Once her breathing evened out and her heart rate went steady, Myrnin smiled and contented himself with just watching her sleep for the rest of the night.

"What are you doing?" Oliver's voice hissed from the doorway.

Myrnin snapped his head up. "I'm watching her sleep…it is not a problem."

"It will seem so to her boyfriend, Shane. I saw them this morning. They were very close. Do you really think that she would choose you over him? He's almost her age. He's more modern. More relatable for her. What about you? What do you have that he doesn't?" Oliver crossed his arms. He leaned against the doorframe with a raised brow and watched him carefully.

Myrnin bared his teeth in a silent snarl. "I have the fangs that could become his downfall. I have the brains that I know impresses her. I even look attractive in her eyes. She had told me once before in my office while we were working. I have everything he does and more. I have gotten quite fond of her and I refuse to let some boy take away my chances at happiness." He softened his voice as he looked down at the girl next to him. "Besides, Oliver, chances at love and happiness and even peace are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don't think I'd ever be able to feel the way I do for Claire for anyone else. It's her. She's the one that belongs with me. I can feel it in my heart."

Oliver grew a little more respect for the jester that amused many over the years; even as he spiraled into insanity. "Fine. But you will have to deal with the aftermath of the boy. Can you handle that?"

Myrnin looked him in the eye and bared his teeth. "Of course I can." His fangs snapped down dangerously. "I bring only my best. He can't possibly take this from me. She belongs to me now."

All the while that the two Vampires spoke, Claire was having a dream. Two men were arguing. They started fighting. They were both vicious and determined in their efforts. In the end, one went down and never got back up. She never saw their faces. The one that succeeded walked over to her and kissed her hard. And that's when she finally was able to really understand that she loved this man.

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this update. I can't wait for your reviews! Sorry about the wait again.**


	6. Forgive Me

**Okay, I'm super sorry to everyone waiting patiently for my update. I've been super busy and a lot of junk came up. I hope this begins to make up for my taking so long to update. But I give thanks to vicky199416, fifim007, vix vik, Charliee, vampireknightfun, and loulouflowerpower. Thank you so much for reviewing. I'm sorry again for not updating in a while. Family came up. I love all my devoted readers. Thank you!**

Claire woke up the next morning feeling oddly refreshed and relaxed. She yawned and stretched cat-style on the bed, thinking she was at the Glass House. But when she finally opened her eyes and saw the weathered ceiling above her, she realized where she was and sighed. No Eve. No Michael. No Alyssa. No Shane. The last one really hurt. She breathed in a deep, shaky breath and sat up.

She was about to go into the shower when she heard the water running. "Myrnin!" she yelled in frustration. She was actually surprised when he appeared in the doorway with nothing but a white towel around his waist. She watched as his wet hair dripped water down his chest and his abs. She shook herself out of her reverie, unknown of the smirk that graced the Vampire's face. He composed himself when she looked back up at him with a blush tinting her cheeks.

"Yes, young Claire?" he asked curiously with a low voice as if he had just woken up.

Her blush deepened with the images running through her mind. He ignored it. "I was just venting my frustration with you being in the shower before me," she said softly.

He smiled. "I apologize. Though you may have to wait for a while to shower as the hot water is slowly running out. Unless you want to shower now…." He trailed off and looked at her.

She jumped up. "Yes please!" she shouted as she ran towards the bathroom.

"Although we would have to share a shower together as I need to finish as well."

She froze and eyed him warily. She thought about asking Oliver for his shower and tossed that idea aside immediately. She briefly wondered if she could wait until tomorrow to shower. She decided against it and sighed.

"Fine, Myrnin. But I swear that if you peek at me, I will stake you," she warned. He smiled and gestured her into the bathroom. She shook her head incredulously. What was she doing?

He smirked behind her back and stepped into the shower, facing away from her. She did the same for him, hyper-aware of the proximity of her Vampire boss. She was just very careful not to touch him. After about ten minutes, the fastest shower she's ever taken, she darted out of the enclosed space, leaving Myrnin in there all by himself. She wrapped another towel around her tightly and quietly reigned in her breathing.

She shook her head and walked out of the bathroom in shock. Once again, what did she just do?

"Claire, I was just wondering if you had an extra," Oliver was saying before he stopped dead at the doorway at the sight of her. "Oh. I apologize." Then his eyes widened when his gaze flickered behind her.

She turned. Myrnin was leaning against the doorway in nothing but his towel, looking dare she say it, hot. Then she blushed.

"Oliver, it's not what it looks like at all. I showered then he showered. Simple as that," Claire explained.

"What are you going to tell Shane, dear Claire?"

"Nothing. Nothing happened, therefore he doesn't need to know about it." She looked indignant.

After a brief suspicious glance, Oliver left Claire in a state of complete shock. What is she doing? What has possessed her to act this way? Oh, God. She's definitely not making it out of this unscathed.

_Shane, forgive me._

**So sorry! Review please!**


	7. Thoughts and Mistakes

**Okay, I'm super sorry for the wait. Hope this chapter makes up for my neglect. Enjoy. And thank you to my reviewers: loulouflowerpower, MorganvilleRoza, LuPeters, invisibilgirl, and Charliee. Thank you so much for reviewing. Can't wait to hear from you again possibly.**

**Disclaimer: Only Rachel Caine owns Morganville Vampires. I just wish I did.**

She had just finished dressing herself in her skinny jeans and black t-shirt with the words "BITE ME" written in red glitter on it when Myrnin stepped out of the bathroom in only his baggy pants and his favorite beach flip-flops. She watched his chest move with his breathing before looking up into his dark eyes, clouded with something she couldn't quite name. Then his face broke into a smile at the sight of her shirt.

She looked down and picked up her Converse wordlessly. "Don't say anything," she warned.

"About the fact that you are wearing a shirt that says to bite you in the company of Vampires? No I wouldn't say anything," he said jokingly.

She scowled at him over her shoulder. "Myrnin. I swear to all that is Holy that I will stake you if you don't shut up right now."

He kept smiling but pressed his lips together and made a zipping motion over them with his two fingers pinched together. He then proceeded to mime locking it and throwing away the key. She rolled her eyes and turned away to walk out of the room.

"Claire," he said suddenly.

She turned toward him. "Yes, Myrnin?"

"I was just wondering what your impression of me was when we first met. And if it's changed?" He actually looked genuinely interested.

She sighed and sat back down on the bed, staring at the ground. She felt him sit down next to her and then spoke. "Myrnin, when I first met you, I thought you were this charming, sweet, beautiful man. Sure you seemed a little off at first but nothing compared to how you acted later. I was excited to have you for a teacher. I wanted to know everything you could teach me. I wanted all the time in the world to learn.

"Then, over time, you got crazier and crazier. Finally, I accepted it and just learned to deal with it. When you cured yourself, you changed. You were confident and shy, silly and serious, beautiful but frightening; you were such a wonderful man and a conceited boy. That man is my favorite. It's everything. You're everything. You're amazing." Then, before she could embarrass herself further, she stood and walked out of the room, leaving him in shock. He could hear her walk to Oliver's but could not bring his body to follow her.

She forgot to tell him if her opinion changed. But…she used present-tense. Maybe it hasn't changed. Maybe she feels like that now. He smiled to himself. That would be perfect. She was perfect. He sighed happily and walked to Oliver's as well.

"What are you going to tell the boy, Claire?" Oliver was asking her when he came up to the door. But he didn't go in. He wanted to hear this.

"I don't know Oliver! I don't know! I don't even understand why I said what I said!" Claire was yelling and sounded distressed.

"You have to do something. You can't keep both men trapped on a string around your finger. You understand that don't you?"

"What? No…Myrnin doesn't feel that way about me. Does he? Oh, God, what am I saying? Oliver, help me! I don't know what to do!"

Oliver laughed. "For once, the know-it-all doesn't know something. Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I have not been in this particular situation for many years. So I couldn't tell you. But from my experience, I would tell you to figure out which one could offer your parents the most. But I come from a different time."

Claire grunted. "You've got to be kidding me. That's all you've got?"

"Well, I don't normally get this way so don't tell anyone I said this. Got it?" Myrnin could only assume she nodded since he couldn't see through doors. "Which one makes you the happiest? Choose the one that will make Claire happy. Don't worry about their emotions. They are both men. They will get over it." Then he was quiet for a moment. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must fetch Myrnin."

Oliver walked out of his room and saw Myrnin. He looked at him. "Don't influence her," Oliver said before walking leisurely back into the room.

Claire looked at Myrnin and blushed. _Maybe he wouldn't be too bad to hang out around,_ she thought. _He is cute, funny, sweet, everything she said he was. Why is it so hard to choose between two fantastic guys? Shane is a magnificent man. And so is Myrnin. I'm sure that everything will be fine. Right?_

Finally she sighed and looked to Oliver and Myrnin, discussing amongst them. "I'm going for a walk," she said. They either didn't hear her or didn't care. Either way, she was going out there and getting some fresh air to help her think. Who knew that she'd be going to a foreign town to help Amelie and end up choosing between her boss and her boyfriend?

Outside, the sun was shining down bright on her as it does everywhere in Texas summer. She walked along the broken-down sidewalk, wondering if there were really Vampires here. With a shake of her head, she took her phone out of her pocket and searched for a signal to call Shane. She needed to hear his voice. Maybe that would make it easier to make her decision. But when he stared at her screen, there was nothing there. She hadn't charged it!

She groaned and stuffed it back into her pocket. She kept walking with the blazing sun. After about ten minutes of feeling the sun burn her back she decided there weren't any Vampires in this deserted town and ducked into an old abandoned building. She sighed in relief of the cold air and just sat there for a minute. But when she heard a sound behind her, she wondered how she could have forgotten one thing. Never go into the shadows of an abandoned building in a town where there might be Vampires.

She turned slowly and came face-to-face with a pair of blood-red eyes and long, sharp fangs. He smiled maliciously and watched her. She took a step back and hit the wall.

"What are you doing here, little girl?" he asked in a raspy voice.

"Enjoying some reprieve from the heat. How about you?" she asked casually, hoping to deter him.

He laughed. "Just getting some lunch."

She shivered. There was something in his laugh. It chilled her to the bone. She stared at him with wide eyes. "I've got friends just down the road who will kill you if you kill me."

"I don't care. I can fend them off. I hope you enjoyed your nice break, little girl. Because it'll be your last." She screamed and shut her eyes against the image of him lunging for her neck before a stinging pain that felt like fire burned into her neck. She could feel her blood move out of her body. She could almost see it run down his chin and into his mouth. She smelt the blood before she felt it drip down her shoulder.

A loud growl interrupted the pain, making her wince. Too loud. Without much warning, her head hit the ground with a loud crack. Her eyes opened tiredly and saw Myrnin and Oliver standing over the Vampire with their fangs bared. She smiled in exhaustion. At least they came to help.

Myrnin suddenly saw her and his eyes widened. She blinked for a second but that was all it took for his face to take up her vision. He was saying something. But his voice was muffled and sounded like he was whispering into a pillow.

"Oliver…helps…Amelie…Claire…bite!" was all she could hear clearly from him.

She giggled. "You sound funny," she slurred…well she thought that's what she said. She didn't even understand herself.

He looked even more worried. She hummed in resignation as she shut her eyes and drifted to unconsciousness to the sound of Myrnin screaming in protest.

Before she could disappear completely under the soft sheets of either death or a coma—she couldn't tell—she felt a burning sensation in her neck again. But it didn't hurt. She was too far gone. This must be her own personal Hell. She didn't seem to care. Death was peaceful. And if a slight burning feeling was all she'd feel out of it, then she was all for it.

_Good-bye Shane. Good-bye Eve, Alyssa, Michael, Amelie, Myrnin. I love you all_, was her last thought.

**I hope ya'll like it. Please review. Can't wait. Love all of you my faithful readers!**


	8. A New Claire

**So sorry about the wait, my loyal readers. The fact that you waited for this update means a lot to me. I will try to update quicker now that I'm in summer vacation. So I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you to my reviewers: LuPeters, DayBreakAlchemist, jessshadowkissedwilliams, SaskiaWillow1201.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Morganville Vampires. *sigh* A girl's dreams has just been crushed.**

Myrnin stared down at the sleeping girl on the ground with despair. When she awoke, she was going to try to stake him. Maybe he deserved it. He did bite her after all. He should have just let her die. But that's not what he wanted and he was a selfish creature. A low growl slithered out from his throat and past his lips as he thought of the boy. There was no way in Hell that he was letting go of her now.

She stirred, making him hold his breath in anticipation. Her eyes snapped open, revealing bright red eyes. She sat up and turned to look at Myrnin quizzically. She opened her mouth to speak, her long fangs glistening in the dim light of the hotel room. She gave him an odd look before hopping off the bed and going to the bathroom to look in the mirror. She saw the red eyes, she saw the fangs, she saw the predator look on her face. Yet she did not show any fear or shock or anger. She was simply curious.

"Claire," Myrnin said. She turned to him. He blinked and found her in front of him. "How do you feel?"

"Thirsty," she said simply.

He handed her a blood bag and watched her tear it open, getting blood on her shirt, and drinking it greedily. She smiled appreciatively his way and threw it in the trash with her eyes back to their rich brown. She stepped toward him and hugged him.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for not letting me die." She stepped back from their quick embrace and grinned at him, showing her fangs.

"It was my pleasure, Claire," he said with a bow. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "Claire, what happened while you were asleep?"

She blushed. "Well, I dreamt of you of course. I dreamt that you killed Shane and kept me for yourself. Then I found out something about the dream and about you." She kept silent for a minute to add to the suspense. "I love you Myrnin. I love you more than I love watching the sun set and rise. I love you more than counting the number of constellations I see in the sky that night. I love you more than Shane."

Without a second wasted, Myrnin rushed to her and pulled her into his arms. "I love you too Claire. So much, you will never understand until you have been alive as long as I have. All I know is that I'm not giving you up to that boy so you better say your good-byes now." And then he kissed her. She kissed back with as much emotion as she could fit into that one kiss.

Myrnin pulled away with a sort of excitement lightening his eyes. Claire smiled at him with a radiance that no one could ever replicate. Myrnin smiled back and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips as a sort of seal for their kiss. "To seal in my love," Myrnin whispered to her.

"Consider it sealed," Claire whispered back and then turned to find Oliver standing in the doorway. "Hello Oliver. How are you today?"

Oliver stared at the couple in a mixture of shock, relief and joy. Then he smirked. "So, Myrnin, I see that you have won the girl's heart," he said smugly.

Myrnin grinned. "It turns out that I had the girl's heart all along," he replied and held Claire closer to him.

Oliver smiled. He looked over at Claire. "Is this true?" She nodded. "Why did you say nothing?"

Claire sighed. Then spoke. "I wasn't sure entirely if I wanted Shane or Myrnin more. So I went with the human first. And I was about to dump him soon because I could not keep up the charade, though I have no idea how I was going to be with Myrnin as a human. So him turning me Vampire was the most perfect decision yet."

Oliver smiled and clapped a hand on Myrnin's shoulder. "Well, it seems that you have your work cut out for you. I hope you enjoy your new life. And be ready to leave in thirteen more days. I will leave you two alone to get to know each other better so that you may understand just what you're getting yourselves into when we get back." Then he was gone.

Claire giggled under her breath and then sat on the bed, patting the spot next to her as an invitation for Myrnin to sit with her. She sat on his lap when he sat down and laid her head on his chest. He sighed happily and wrapped his arms around her.

"Myrnin, how much trouble will we have to face when we get home?" Claire asked softly.

"With the humans you live with, a lot. With Amelie, none at all," Myrnin responded.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Hey, Myrnin?"

"Yes, Claire."

"What's your favorite color?"

He laughed and answered immediately. And so it continued. They asked each other all kinds of questions—some silly, some serious. But they never stopped connecting through the next thirteen days that they stayed in each other's arms only letting go to get a packet of blood. They were always with each other, always talking, always happy. Oliver eventually just joined them, not wanting to be alone, and enjoying the laughs and tears they shared.

But what they didn't know is that, back in Morganville, some friends of Claire's were changing as well as her.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I look forward to your reviews. Thanks for reading!**


	9. SLAP

**I am so sorry my lovely ducklings! Junior year of high school is a lot harder than I thought. I have been swamped with essays and readings and so much more. But I hope this little blurb will tide you over for now. I'm so sorry. I will try to work on a schedule when it comes to updates. Thank you for your loyalty. And thank you to my faithful reviewers: LuPeters, onceuponBlackSapphireShadows , SaskiaWillow1201, Charliee, MyrninsBitch, and BRENDANIGHTSKY! I love and appreciate you all! Muah!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Morganville Vampires. Does that mean I can't have a dream? LOL**

"Claire will you hurry and pack your bag?" Oliver groaned in frustration.

"Oliver, will you quit being such a sour-puss?" Claire shot back with a giggle.

Oliver sighed and threw his bags in the car while he waited for Claire and Myrnin to finish packing. Finally, Claire came barreling down the dark stairwell with Myrnin hot on her heels. She was giggling like a maniac as she jumped in the back seat and locked the door.

"Claire, open the door," Myrnin shouted. She simply laughed and made faces of him through the glass of the window.

"Myrnin, what's going on?" Oliver said hesitantly.

"Claire stole my bunny slippers," Myrnin whined.

The guys could hear Claire giggling like mad in the car as she taunted Myrnin by dangling the slippers in the window.

"Claire, open the door. I have to start the car," Oliver said in exasperation. When Claire didn't move, he tried another approach. "Claire, if I have to wait too long, your eternal life will come to an end from sun exposure."

Claire gasped and unlocked the doors, throwing the bunny slippers at Myrnin. "You're mean!" she yelled before pouting in the seat.

Oliver rolled his eyes and Myrnin chuckled. He slid into the back with her, setting her in his lap. He held her tight throughout the rest of the ride back to Morganville. She fell asleep in his arms, content with her life.

She woke up as they passed through the border into Morganville with a suddenly anxious face. She looked to Myrnin. "What are we going to tell my friends? They're going to hate me," she cried out as if in pain.

Myrnin cupped her face in his hands and nodded to Oliver for him to slow down. "Claire, baby, they won't hate you. It was an accident. Would they really rather you came home in a casket?" he soothed.

Claire looked into his eyes. "I suppose not. But what about Shane?"

Myrnin growled. "What about him?"

"I have to break up with him as a result of both turning into a Vampire and of being with you." She felt tears escape her eyes.

"Did you not want to break up with him?" Myrnin bit out. He attempted to push her out of his lap but she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"No, baby, that's not what I'm saying at all! I'm just saying it's going to be difficult. And I haven't prepared for it."

Myrnin sighed before hugging her closer. "I'll help you. I promise." She smiled and kissed his cheek right as Oliver pulled in front of the dark house belonging to her friends.

Wordlessly, Myrnin and Claire stepped out of the van and walked to the door. Myrnin rang the doorbell with Claire standing behind him. She heard Eve open the door and smile.

"Hello Eve, may we come in?" Myrnin said, hiding the fact that Claire was a Vampire from her best friend.

"Of course you and Claire can come in!" Eve laughed; but it sounded forced in Claire's opinion. "Claire, you know you don't have to ask."

They stepped into the brightly lit hallway of the house and found Michael standing at the end. He gave her a wary look before smiling and opening his arms to her. Without thinking she ran into his arms and hugged him tight. She could hear him sniffing her but she tried her best to ignore it. Eve came over and joined in the hug. Yet, through all the love being shared, it felt too loose.

"Where's Shane?" Claire asked suddenly.

Eve pulled away after Michael and walked into the living room without answering her. Claire and Myrnin shared a look before following them and seeing Shane sitting on the couch, staring at the wall. He didn't turn to look at her. He simply watched the wall.

"Shane?" Claire asked quietly.

"Claire," Shane whispered. "Claire. Claire. Oh my god, Claire!" She found herself engulfed in the smell of Shane as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. And then she felt his tears hit her shoulder.

"Shane, what's wrong?" Claire said carefully. She pulled away from him and saw the tears that crawled down his face.

"Claire, sit down." She obeyed. He didn't sit with her. In fact, he sat on the coffee table in front of her. He took both her hands in his, staring into his eyes. She faintly heard Myrnin shifting uncomfortably and didn't acknowledge it.

"Claire, this is hard. But I need to break up with you." She stared at him blankly. Inside, she was excited because it made it easier for her. Her brow furrowed though, the tell-tale sign that she was curious as to the reason why. "I have been cheating on you. For the past month." Only then did she notice the rage in Michael's eyes and the purple swelling around Shane's eye.

She tore her hands away from his. "You cheated on me? With who? You know what, doesn't matter," she fumed. "Don't you ever touch me again. Why would you treat me with such kindness this whole time? You've been so sweet and a gentleman."

"Yeah, Shane," Michael hissed. "Tell her why."

Shane sighed before speaking. "I honestly thought I could take the opportunity of your birthday to get you in bed." A resounding slap echoed in the room as flesh met flesh. It fell silent for a moment before everyone looked to Claire in shock. She was glaring at Shane who was holding his cheek.

"Claire?" Eve said hesitantly.

"No. Don't say anything quite yet, Eve. Shane, I trusted you and you betrayed me. I came here expecting the pain of having to tell you the truth of what happened in Blacke. I have developed intense feelings for Myrnin and I refrained from chasing those feelings because I thought that loyalty should be rewarded in loyalty in a relationship. I gave you my soul and my heart. I hold back my body and you cheat on me! If I could drop-kick you into next week I would. But I can't out of moral beliefs and won't out of respect to Michael's house. I hope that Karma comes back for you and when she does you come to me crying so that I can look straight into your eyes and slap you one more time." Claire was breathing hard with her anger. "And because I can do nothing except politely tell you that I hate you, I will just suggest that you get out of my sight." She was hissing toward the end, her voice dipping low.

Shane started to smile before he, Michael, and Eve all saw her true anger written on her face. "Go," she hissed. "Before I do something I may or may not regret." Her fangs glistened in the lights of the house and her crimson eyes almost glowed in her fury.

"Claire," Eve gasped. "You're a Vampire?"

Claire never answered her, she simply followed Shane's retreating figure up the stairs with only her eyes. Then she snapped her eyes back to Eve with an apologetic look. "Michael, I need food. Now."

Michael was back within seconds, holding a thermos of blood heated to room temperature in front of her. She gulped it down quickly, spilling a little on her shirt. When she turned back to her two friends, her eyes were a warm chocolate brown once again. She sighed. "I think we need to have a talk," Claire said softly, sitting on the couch next to Myrnin who clasped her hand. "A very long one." Michael's and Eve's eyes grew wide in response to the contact their friend had with her Vampire boss.

**Update + Apology + Awesome Me = Reviews Appreciated :D There's a math problem for you. :P**


	10. Confessions

**Sorry again about the wait. It's been crazy. I hadn't even realized that it had been two+ months since I updated. I hope you will all forgive me! Here's the update. Thank you to my loyal and oh-so-kind reviewers: MVresidentandreader123, LuPeters, DayBreakAlchemist, ZombiesloveMangoes, Kira The Dead Ninja, Guest, and Supernaturalfreak. Thank you guys so much! I love you all. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Morganville Vampires series….I just wish I do.**

Michael was glaring at Myrnin, Eve was gaping at Claire, Myrnin was glaring back at Michael, and Claire was simply looking at all of them, not quite knowing what to say. It was Michael who broke the silence with a clearing of his throat. She snapped her head in his direction. He had finally torn his gaze from Myrnin to her and it softened upon her response. He smiled softly, encouragingly.

"Why don't you start from the beginning, Claire?" he prompted.

She sighed, relieved not to have to flounder around for what to say. "Well, it started when we got to the town. It was empty and a little spooky but I ignored it," she started her story. For the next hour, Michael and Eve, even Myrnin, were engrossed in her storytelling of how she became a Vampire and how she came to fall in love with Myrnin. Michael nodded in understanding when she described the inner-conflict she had been facing for too long, and then his jaw dropped at her easy transition into the eternal life. "And I came home thinking it was going to be hard to show Shane that I had given him up for Myrnin. I guess I was very wrong," she concluded.

Eve slumped back against the couch with a long sigh. Michael stood and walked into the kitchen, coming out with two plastic bottles of blood. He passed one to Claire and one to Myrnin silently. Myrnin smiled at this darling girl who could be so calm when discussing her demise, after finding out she had been cheated on, and still tell her tale in such a way that had even him enraptured.

"Well, that," Eve trailed off, not quite knowing what to say. They were all saved when they heard footsteps padding against the carpet of the stairs. All of their heads swiveled to look in that direction. They saw Shane sheepishly looking at them as he ducked into the kitchen. The Vampires could hear him rummaging around in the fridge before he came out with a soda in his hand and ran back upstairs. His door slamming was what pushed Claire into hysteric giggles.

Eve and Michael stared at her in worry. Myrnin simply joined her, knowing what had her so giddy. Nervous, Eve and Michael joined in. Finally Claire settled down.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "The very thought that I actually thought I loved that fool hit me just then and made me laugh."

That's when Michael and Eve started genuinely laughing, sending Myrnin and Claire back into a fit of giggles. They sat around and talked for the rest of the night, just happy to be in each other's company. Eve left the Vampires after a little bit with a soft yawn and a sleepy good night. So Michael and Claire and Myrnin all enjoyed a light chat into the early morning hours.

"Well," Myrnin said. "I think it's time I get myself and this beautiful girl to bed." He beamed down at the girl in his arms who, in turn, smiled back at him.

Michael smiled at the couple. It truly was sweet. Myrnin swept the back of his hand slowly over Claire's cheek and leaned down to meet her lips. It was a short and sweet kiss, but Michael still had to turn his head away at such a beautiful display of affection. Claire pulled away from the kiss first and turned to Michael.

"I have questions for you, mister," she said with a smile. "So don't think you're off the hook. I'll be back tomorrow. Good night." And with that, she skipped to him, gave him a peck on the cheek and grasped Myrnin's hand as he led her to the wall behind the living room. She took one last look at Michael's puzzled face and winked before stepping through the wall with Myrnin.

The portal shut nice and tight behind them. Claire stepped away from Myrnin to look around the lab with a fond smile. She heard Myrnin rushing around, locking the portal system, locking the door to his lab. When he appeared in front of her, he had a different look in his eyes. It was absolutely animalistic.

The grin on his face was both contagious and triumphant. His eyes danced with love and lust and need. He stared down at her with as much intensity as a man in love could. She briefly realized that he's loved her for a while now before his mouth claimed hers in a searing kiss that set her body ablaze.

He gripped her shoulders tightly, pulling her closer to him as he ravaged her mouth, deepening their kiss. Claire kissed back with a soft moan in the back of her throat. This kiss quickly awakened something within her she didn't know existed until now. It was pure animal instinct. With a low growl she pushed herself away from the man before her and smiled. She then jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, weaving her fingers into his hair and pulling roughly. He growled in response and pushed her against the wall with a force that elicited a gasp from her. With a broad smirk, he pulled away before opening the door behind her and bringing her into his bedroom where they stayed for the rest of the night.

The next day, at around six in the evening, Michael could hear Eve squealing gleefully and Shane hastily running up the stairs. Claire was back. He stood and turned just in time to see Claire running up to him, jumping into his arms with a smile rivaling the Cheshire Cat. He chuckled and hugged her back softly.

"Hey, honey," he whispered. She smiled against his shoulder. She jumped down from his embrace and looked up at him with her head cocked to the side like she used to do.

"Hey Michael," she said. She turned to Eve. "You. Sit. And you too." She pointed to the two of them then to the couch as a visual representation of what she meant. They obeyed immediately. She slid into a chair across from them, leaned her elbows on her knees, and put her chin in her hands as her eyes swung between the two of them. "What happened?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was quiet enough in the room that it was heard without a problem.

Eve started fidgeting under Claire's scrutinizing stare. Michael simply slumped his shoulders and sighed. He shut his eyes and would not say anything. The silence continued for another five minutes before the spell was finally broken.

"He proposed," Eve whispered. Claire was about to jump up with excitement when she saw Michael's muscles tense beneath his shirt. "I said no." This time Claire gasped and jumped up.

"Why?" Claire was in shock. When she was leaving, they were both so in love it was nearly sickening!

Michael finally spoke. "She said it was too soon, too fast. She wanted to take it slower. She said she wasn't ready." His voice was steady and yet consumed with pain at the same time.

Claire turned her burning gaze on her best friend. "Eve. When I left, you were freaking out with the thought that he was going to leave you. And he proposed. You guys have been together for so long! It is not going to be a problem if you guys got married! Why don't you want to marry him?"

Eve stood to stand toe to toe with Claire. "I'm scared!" she screamed. Claire stepped back. Michael stared at her with wide eyes. Tears fell down her face. "I'm scared that the closer I get to him, the farther I will get. I'm afraid that getting married will mean I have to become a Vampire immediately and on his terms. I'm afraid that, if I get married to him, our relationship will become boring and he'll leave me!" She fell to the floor in a ball and sobbed at Claire's feet.

Michael rushed to her, holding her in his arms. "Oh Eve. How could you think that? I would never leave you. And you can become a Vampire whenever you please. It's your decision. Honey, I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you!"

Claire scurried out of the room to give the two of them privacy. She made her way up the stairs as quietly as she could. When she turned around for a brief second, she saw them sharing a passionate kiss. She smiled and hurried up the stairs. When she was out of view of the living room, she performed the process necessary to open the secret door. She made her way up the stairs and went to lounge on the old Victorian couch, but stopped when she saw a body sprawled on top of it.

She smiled fondly at the fact that he could sleep so soundly and leaned against the wall silently. His snoring stopped suddenly, replaced by a low murmuring she could barely make out, before he rolled and fell to the floor face first. She stifled a giggle when he shot up and looked around, spooked. When he saw her, his eyes went wide and he froze. She didn't move. So he sighed and fell onto the couch.

"Claire," he started.

She interrupted him. "No, Shane. I need to thank you. You brought me closer to Myrnin. Something that would never have happened if it weren't for you. While what you did was immensely stupid and hurtful, I am not angry anymore. I hope you find a girl and settle down with her sometime in your life."

He stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and offering an apologetic half-smile. They sat in silence for another half hour before they decided to go downstairs and check on their friends. They found the couple wrapped in each other on the couch. They turned when they saw their friends and blushed.

Shane snickered and Claire rolled her eyes. "It's okay," she said. "Myrnin and I had a moment last night that allows me to relate to the feeling you guys are having." The words came out worse than she meant them and blushed. The rest of the group stared at her slack-jawed.

"Claire," Eve whispered. "Did you two?" She couldn't finish the question, she was at a loss for words.

**Aha! Cliffy! Didn't think I was going to do it, did you? Well I did. Hope this suspense doesn't kill you too much! :D**


	11. Important Author's Note

**IMPORTANT**

**Alright, everyone. I regret to inform you all that this story will not be continued by me. I will not update it until it is adopted by someone else. Unfortunately, I no longer know what to do with this story and frankly, can't even try. I am so sorry to those of you that wanted more. Please forgive me. Someone PM me if you wish to adopt this story. Good-bye everyone. **


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